NBA: Verizon renews and extends its partnership and will broadcast 8 games free to non-subscribers

Verizon, an American telecommunications company, has renewed and extended its digital partnership with the NBA for "several seasons", announced the two entities on 17/01/2018. The amount of the deal would be similar to the previous agreement, about $133m a year (€107m), according to US media. Verizon and Yahoo will also invest $25m (€20m) in a technology innovation fund (virtual reality and augmented reality) to enhance the user experience.

As part of the new deal, Verizon will be the exclusive distributor of the NBA League Pass - an offer for access to live NBA games by subscription - in the United States and will be able to offer it to all Americans - via Yahoo Sports (a subsidiary of Verizon) - and more uniquely to its mobile customers via its "go90" platform.

From 18/02/2018, Verizon will offer the NBA League Pass at a reduced rate - $99 (€80) for the rest of the 2017-18 season, compared to $250 (€202) for the entire season - as well as eight free games to non-subscribers.

This follows a similar agreement signed between the NFL and Verizon on 11/12/2017 (see details below).